Blogger: Mary Keeley
An agent is interested in taking your proposal to the next level. She suggests a phone or video interview to discuss the possibility of representation. After your feet return to terra firma, lasso your nerves and divert …
Finding an Agent
Writing Success: A 3-Pronged Approach
Blogger: Mary Keeley
Let your heart not grow weary from the increasing volume of proposals competing for fewer publishing slots. If you are patient, you’ll continue to have opportunity with traditional publishers as long as they are still acquiring. I …
4 Easy Steps to a Great Synopsis
Blogger: Mary Keeley
Creating a synopsis for your novel is one of the hardest pieces of writing there is. It is also one of the most important elements of your proposal. But if you follow these steps, you can master …
Agent Prerequisites?
Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Let’s talk prerequisites. Education requires prerequisites for many classes. Career moves often require prerequisites before climbing the ladder. What about approaching an agent? Are there prerequisites? Let’s look at three often-recommended prerequisites:
1. Before I approach an …
Agent Referrals
Blogger: Wendy Lawton
I am often asked by writers, What is the agent referral? How do I get one? Will it get me past the query? The answer to the last question is yes. Now let’s tackle the first two.…
Identify Your Book’s Unique Angle: One Approach
Blogger: Mary Keeley
Last Sunday a church friend and I found ourselves in a conversation about the recent presidential election and potential ramifications thereof. They’re hard to avoid lately unless you’re a mole. The service was about to begin and …
Ditch the Pitch
Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Many of you are preparing for upcoming writer’s conferences. Are you getting stressed about how to pitch your book to editors and agents? I’m going to suggest you ditch the pitch. Read on. . .
More writers …
5 Qualities Agents Look for in Writers
Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Our agency receives at leastdo 3,000 queries every year. That’s pretty discouraging for those looking for an agent. But let’s talk about the other side of the coin. What makes me say yes?
Qualities agents look
…How Good Are You at Negotiating?
Blogger: Mary Keeley
Do you realize how often you negotiate in any given day? It happens at the dinner table when children don’t want to eat their vegetables. When your teen wants to borrow the family car. When you and …
A Strategy for Success in 2017
Blogger: Mary Keeley
I look forward to the new year, don’t you? With last year’s successes and rejections behind you, beginning anew on a clean slate is invigorating and breeds HOPE, especially when you launch with a good strategy. Today …